Bhopal: Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on Friday inaugurated the National Art Festival 2024-25, a unique confluence of culture and art, at the Kala Mandapam of NCERT campus Bhopal. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav started the grand event by lighting the lamp. A beautiful blend of traditional and modern art has been incorporated in the program. The National Art Festival 2024-25 will run till Monday, January 6, in which artists from all over the country will showcase their art.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that art is a reflection of our society, our culture. Promoting it is an important step towards preserving our cultural heritage. Art is a sadhana and artist is a seeker. Art is the goal as well as the object of worship. Art embellishes the society. He said that the state government will provide all possible support to artists and cultural institutions and emphasized on the preservation and promotion of art.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, citing the example of Lord Krishna, said that Lord Krishna was proficient in 64 arts and 14 disciplines. He was well versed in fine arts. He was passionate, devoted, and was the ultimate yogi who came to this earth to establish religion. Shri Krishna, the originator of yogic practices, was a Yogiraj in the true sense. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that unity in diversity is the specialty of India. We should be proud of our rich cultural heritage. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that this festival is a unique program started by the Government of India in the year 2015, which aims to develop the artistic talent of the students and preserve and keep the heritage of Indian art and craft intact. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that it plays an important role in promoting the cultural tradition of India among the students. The National Education Policy-2020 emphasizes on promoting art and culture through education.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that promotion of Indian art and culture is important not only for the nation but also for every citizen. Art and culture develop a sense of moral values and ethics in students, which enables them to become sensitive human beings rather than being mechanical. Any form of art is a powerful medium of learning. Whether it is dance, singing, playing instruments, painting, craftsmanship or any other form of art or local/traditional games and toys, all these forms enhance the physical, mental, ideological, social, emotional and practical development of students. Kala Utsav is providing a platform to our students where they can experience the cultural form of entire India in totality. The interaction of students from different states in Kala Utsav makes them feel connected to entire India.
While encouraging the child artists who have come from different parts of the country, School Education and Transport Minister Shri Uday Pratap Singh said that this art festival provides a platform to the child artists to express/exhibit their talent. He said with delight that today our children are bringing glory to the country with their talent by connecting with knowledge-science, art-skills, culture. Child artists should improve their art further. The entire horizon is theirs, the future is theirs.
Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Education and Literacy, Shri Anandrao Vishnu Patil said that this is the 10th edition of this art festival for the basic aim of Vikasit Bharat Abhiyan and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. Through this, children are further improving their art.
NCERT New Delhi Director Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani said that our new education policy is completely inclusive of Indianness. It is such that students get the understanding of science in arts subject and art in science and social science subject. Whatever we have done till now is dedicated to the creation of a developed India. Child artists perform for three days in the Kala Utsav. On the fourth and last day, the Kala Utsav is concluded by awarding the artists by the jury.
In her welcome address, the national convener of Kala Utsav, Prof. Jyotsna Tiwari said that this is the 10th and the third National Kala Utsav organised in Bhopal. The main objective of the event is that children should progress through their art. Around 500 child artists from across the country are coming to Bhopal with their teachers/parents to make the event a success.
MLA Shri Bhagwandas Sabnani, Mayor Smt. Malti Rai, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Education and Literacy Smt. Archana Sharma, Dr. Deepak Paliwal, Prof. Chitra Singh, Prof. Ratnamala Arya, Shri N.C. Ojha along with a large number of child artists, teachers, parents and spectators were present in the program.
On the initiative of the Union Ministry of Education and Literacy, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi has organized the 10th National Art Festival at the Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal and Pt. Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education, Bhopal. About five hundred and fifty secondary level students from the states and union territories of India including Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Eklavya Model Residential School are participating in this festival with their escort. Renowned art practitioners of India have been invited as judges in this art festival on art forms like singing, playing, dancing, visual arts, theatre and traditional storytelling. The child artists giving the best performance will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals/prizes respectively.
